DockDogs

DockDogs is the older of the two organizations and runs the more visible spectator events. Its tour-stop format — competitions held at fairs, expos, festivals, and large dog-show clusters with PA commentary and grandstand seating — is what most non-handlers picture when they think of dock diving. The flagship classes are Big Air (distance), Extreme Vertical (height grab), and Speed Retrieve, plus head-to-head Dueling Dogs and the combined Iron Dog title, with the year crowned by national and world championship events. DockDogs runs class-specific level structures within Big Air, Extreme Vertical, and Speed Retrieve. Levels are based on distance ranges or heights — Big Air runs Novice (under 10 feet), Junior, Senior, Master, Elite, and Super Elite (25 feet and up); Extreme Vertical runs Cadet, Top Gun, and High Flyer; Speed Retrieve runs Express, Turbo, Nitro, and Sonic by time. Each title is five legs in one division. Eligibility runs through DockDogs, not AKC: any breed or mix can enter, and an optional annual Worldwide Membership ($65 per handler-and-dog team) unlocks rankings, title certificates, and prize credits. Titles are recognized within the DockDogs ecosystem — they do not appear on AKC or CKC pedigrees the way NADD titles do, and that is the single biggest practical difference for handlers deciding which organization to chase.